Major stakeholders in the European food and drink chain – including representatives from Freshfel Europe, the European Fresh Produce Association – have embarked on a major new collaboration in order to promote environmental sustainability across the whole of the food value chain.
The European Food Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP) Roundtable, which is supported by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the European Environment Agency (EEA), will be formally launched in April and will aim to make a major contribution across the whole food sector to the EU’s ambitions in the field of sustainable consumption and production, bringing together farmers and their suppliers, agricultural traders, food and drink producers, packaging suppliers, recovery organisations and civil society representatives.
In particular, the initiative will examine key sustainability challenges along the food value chain, such as climate change, water conservation, resource efficiency and waste reduction, before developing adequate strategies to address them.
Crucially, the round table has been established with a clear focus on food and drink products, while also involving all major players in the European food business on an equal footing. According to its founders, the project will add significant value to initiatives outlined in the European Commission’s 2008 Action Plan, a far-reaching package of proposals that will deliver on the European Union's ambitious commitments to fight climate change and promote renewable energy up to 2020 and beyond.
The first priority of the Roundtable will be to find common ground on the means by which the sustainability of food products can be assessed in a uniform and scientifically reliable manner.
“European consumers increasingly want to be sure that the food they buy and consume is not only safe, healthy, nutritious and affordable, but that it also meets the highest levels of environmental sustainability”, said Jean Martin, president of the Confederation of the Food and Drink Industry (CIAA) in the EU.
Pekka Pesonen, secretary-general of European farming and agricultural cooperatives group Copa-Cogeca, said the overriding objective would be to make the notion of what sustainability in the food sector really is much clearer in the minds of consumers, suppliers and retailers.
“We want to put an end to consumers seeing inconsistent environmental information on products,' he explained. 'Our new cooperation will bring together existing initiatives from across the food chain, promote their foundation on sound scientific evidence and translate into real progress in moving towards a coherent approach across the EU.”
In addition to the major food chain organisations, the Roundtable will look to cooperate closely with all relevant European Commission services. It will be supported by the EEA and the UNEP, ensuring alignment with the European and global sustainable consumption and production agenda. Consumer organisations and retailers have also been invited to participate.
“In gathering the expertise of the entire food value chain, the Roundtable will constitute a major sector-specific reference point also for the upcoming Retail Forum,” added Feargal Quinn, president of EuroCommerce, an association which defends retail, wholesale and international trade interests.
Exchange of information between the two initiatives is expected to help pool expertise, favour consistency and avoid duplication, a spokesperson told reporters.
'Participation in the Roundtable is open to all food chain partners and other relevant stakeholders, including NGOs, with pertinent expertise and which are committed to engaging themselves actively towards the objectives of the Roundtable,' the spokesperson added.
» For more information, download the official European Food SCP Roundtable press release
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